Detecting the presence of concealed features and objects can be useful in a wide range of applications. Detection equipment is used, for example, in detecting the presence of weapons, diagnosing medical ailments and guiding surgery in patients, and identifying structural defects in buildings and infrastructure. In the case of weapon detection, detection equipment commonly includes metal detectors that generate audio cues that do not inform beyond the metallic nature of the detected object and the general location of the detected object. In high security settings such as airports, weapon detection equipment can include backscatter x-ray or millimeter wave scanners coupled to monitors for displaying images generated by the detection equipment, with the monitors often being viewed by security agents behind a desk. In the case of medical imaging, detection equipment is also commonly coupled to monitors for displaying images generated by the detection equipment, dividing the attention of a technician or a physician between the image displayed on the monitor and the patient.
Existing imagers are either ionizing (e.g. x-ray), expensive, limited in dynamic range, limited in depth information, limited in functionality, or combinations thereof. Further, there is a need to improve the amount of information communicated by detection equipment and a need to improve the way in which that information is communicated to better inform and reduce the distraction of an individual receiving the information.